- School starts Friday, Aug. 7, 2026 and ends Friday, May 28, 2027, an early release day.
- Thanksgiving break: Nov. 23 to 27. Students are out Saturday, Nov. 21 to Sunday, Nov. 29, back Monday, Nov. 30.
- Winter break: Dec. 21 to Jan. 1. Students are out Saturday, Dec. 19 to Monday, Jan. 4, back Tuesday, Jan. 5.
- Spring break: March 29 to April 2. Students are out Friday, March 26 to Sunday, April 4, back Monday, April 5.
- Three early release days for every school. Details below.
The RCS 2026-27 calendar
This is the district's own calendar, as RCS publishes it. Tap it to open the full-size image.
Add the RCS calendar to your phone
Pick a file. Each one is an all-day event per day off or half day, and a break is one event across all its days.
Every date
First and last day, every day off, every early release and grading period dates. 26 events.
Download .ics
Holidays and breaks
Only the days with no school. 14 events.
Download .ics
Early release days
Only the half days. 3 events.
Download .ics
On an iPhone
Tap a file above, then tap Add All. The dates go into the calendar you choose.
In Google Calendar
On a computer, open Google Calendar, then Settings, then Import & export. Choose the file and the calendar to add it to. The dates show up on your Android phone too.
In Outlook
Open the downloaded file, or in Outlook on the web go to Add calendar, then Upload from file.
These files are a copy of the calendar today. If the district changes a date, download the file again.
RCS vacations and holidays, 2026-27
Every day with no school for students, from the first day to the last: 14 entries and 35 weekdays in all.
| Day off | Dates | Days of the week | School days off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day Holiday | Sept. 7 | Mon | 1 |
| Teacher admin day Staff day | Sept. 18 | Fri | 1 |
| Fall break Break | Oct. 5 to 9 | Mon to Fri | 5 |
| Election Day (teacher admin day) Staff day | Nov. 3 | Tue | 1 |
| Thanksgiving break Break | Nov. 23 to 27 | Mon to Fri | 5 |
| Winter break Break | Dec. 21 to Jan. 1 | Mon to Fri | 10 |
| Teacher in-service and safety day Staff day | Jan. 4 | Mon | 1 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day Holiday | Jan. 18 | Mon | 1 |
| Presidents Day Holiday | Feb. 15 | Mon | 1 |
| Teacher admin day Staff day | March 11 | Thu | 1 |
| Good Friday Holiday | March 26 | Fri | 1 |
| Spring break Break | March 29 to April 2 | Mon to Fri | 5 |
| Teacher admin day Staff day | May 7 | Fri | 1 |
| Teacher workday Staff day | May 27 | Thu | 1 |
RCS early release days
Three early release days in all.
| Date | Day | What | Dismissal | Who |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 7 | Fri | Orientation day | 2-hour day | All students |
| Dec. 18 | Fri | End of 2nd nine weeks | 2-hour day | All students |
| May 28 | Fri | Last day of school | 2-hour day | All students |
Calendar notes: what to plan around
Long weekends and breaks
Every stretch of three or more days with no school, counting weekends. A half day next to a weekend adds half a day.
- 2.5-day weekend: Friday, Aug. 7 at early dismissal to Sunday, Aug. 9. Orientation day early release. Back Monday, Aug. 10.
- 3-day weekend: Saturday, Sept. 5 to Monday, Sept. 7. Labor Day. Back Tuesday, Sept. 8.
- 3-day weekend: Friday, Sept. 18 to Sunday, Sept. 20. Teacher admin day. Back Monday, Sept. 21.
- 9 days off in a row: Saturday, Oct. 3 to Sunday, Oct. 11. Fall break. Back Monday, Oct. 12.
- 9 days off in a row: Saturday, Nov. 21 to Sunday, Nov. 29. Thanksgiving break. Back Monday, Nov. 30.
- 17.5 days off in a row: Friday, Dec. 18 at early dismissal to Monday, Jan. 4. End of 2nd nine weeks early release, winter break and teacher in-service and safety day. Back Tuesday, Jan. 5.
- 3-day weekend: Saturday, Jan. 16 to Monday, Jan. 18. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Back Tuesday, Jan. 19.
- 3-day weekend: Saturday, Feb. 13 to Monday, Feb. 15. Presidents Day. Back Tuesday, Feb. 16.
- 10 days off in a row: Friday, March 26 to Sunday, April 4. Good Friday and spring break. Back Monday, April 5.
- 3-day weekend: Friday, May 7 to Sunday, May 9. Teacher admin day. Back Monday, May 10.
- 1.5-day weekend: Thursday, May 27 to Thursday, May 27. Teacher workday. Friday, May 28, an early release day.
One early release on a Friday or Monday makes a 2.5-day weekend.
Weeks with fewer than five school days
Eleven weeks have fewer than five school days, and five weeks have none at all.
| Week of | School days | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Aug. 3 | 1 | Before the first day |
| Sept. 7 | 4 | Labor Day |
| Sept. 14 | 4 | Teacher admin day |
| Oct. 5 | 0 | Fall break |
| Nov. 2 | 4 | Election Day (teacher admin day) |
| Nov. 23 | 0 | Thanksgiving break |
| Dec. 21 | 0 | Winter break |
| Dec. 28 | 0 | Winter break |
| Jan. 4 | 4 | Teacher in-service and safety day |
| Jan. 18 | 4 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day |
| Feb. 15 | 4 | Presidents Day |
| March 8 | 4 | Teacher admin day |
| March 22 | 4 | Good Friday |
| March 29 | 0 | Spring break |
| May 3 | 4 | Teacher admin day |
| May 24 | 4 | Teacher workday |
Teacher workdays: no school for students
Six of the days off are staff days. Teachers work; students stay home. Plan child care as you would for a holiday.
- Friday, Sept. 18: teacher admin day
- Tuesday, Nov. 3: Election Day (teacher admin day)
- Monday, Jan. 4: teacher in-service and safety day
- Thursday, March 11: teacher admin day
- Friday, May 7: teacher admin day
- Thursday, May 27: teacher workday
Makeup days
The calendar names no weather makeup days. If school closes for weather, the district announces how the day is made up.
Also worth knowing
- School is open on some federal holidays: Columbus Day (Monday, Oct. 12) and Veterans Day (Wednesday, Nov. 11). Banks, post offices and many offices close; school does not.
- The calendar prints no testing dates.
First and last day of school
Aug. 7First day, Friday
May 28Last day, Friday
176School days, by our count
35Weekdays off between them
The first day of school is Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. The last day is Friday, May 28, 2027, with early dismissal.
Teachers start sooner. Staff days before school run Aug. 3 to 6.
Grading periods
RCS grades in nine-week periods. The calendar prints the end of the first three and their report card dates; the 4th nine weeks runs to the last day, when report cards are issued.
| Period | Dates | School days | Report card |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st nine weeks | Aug. 7 to Oct. 2 | 39 | Friday, Oct. 16 |
| 2nd nine weeks | Oct. 12 to Dec. 18 | 44 | Friday, Jan. 8 |
| 3rd nine weeks | Jan. 5 to March 5 | 42 | Friday, March 12 |
| 4th nine weeks | March 8 to May 28 | 51 | Friday, May 28 |
What the district notes
- Aug. 7 is a 2-hour orientation day for students. The first full day is Monday, Aug. 10.
- Progress reports go home Sept. 9 to 11, Nov. 4 to 6, Feb. 3 to 5 and April 14 to 16.
- The calendar does not say whether the conference days are full school days. Check with your school for conference times.
- This is the June 3, 2026 revision of the calendar. RCS also publishes an online calendar parents can subscribe to.
Common questions
When does RCS start in 2026?
The first day of school for Rutherford County Schools is Friday, Aug. 7, 2026.
When is the last day of school for RCS in 2027?
The last day for students is Friday, May 28, 2027. It is an early release day.
When is winter break for RCS?
Winter break runs Monday, Dec. 21 to Friday, Jan. 1. Counting weekends and the days next to it, students are out Saturday, Dec. 19 to Monday, Jan. 4 and go back Tuesday, Jan. 5.
When is spring break for RCS?
Spring break runs Monday, March 29 to Friday, April 2. Counting weekends and the days next to it, students are out Friday, March 26 to Sunday, April 4 and go back Monday, April 5.
When is Thanksgiving break for RCS?
Thanksgiving break runs Monday, Nov. 23 to Friday, Nov. 27. Counting weekends, students are out Saturday, Nov. 21 to Sunday, Nov. 29 and go back Monday, Nov. 30.
Does RCS have early release days in 2026-27?
Yes. Friday, Aug. 7 (2-hour day), Friday, Dec. 18 (2-hour day) and Friday, May 28 (2-hour day) are for every school.
How do I put the RCS calendar on my phone?
Download one of the .ics files on this page. On an iPhone, open it and tap Add All. On Android or a computer, import it into Google Calendar or Outlook.
How we checked these dates
We read every date off the district's own calendar twice: once from the PDF's text and once from the image, line by line. Then we checked each one against the RCS Academic Calendars page and the Spanish edition of the calendar.
Every weekday on this page matches its date. If the district changes its calendar, its page is the final word.
Where each date is on the district's calendar
- First day, Aug. 7: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, August 2026, in red: "Friday, Aug. 7: Orientation day for students (2 hour day)". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "Viernes 7 de agosto: Dia de Orientacion para los Alumnos (Dia Abreviado, 2 horas)".
- Last day, May 28: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, May 2027, in red: "Friday, May 28: Last day of school, 2-hour day; Report cards issued". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "Viernes 28 de mayo: Ultimo Dia para los alumnos: dia de dos horas".
- Teacher in-service and workdays, Aug. 3 to 6: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, August 2026: "Monday, Aug. 3: In-service day", "Tuesday, Aug. 4: Admin/Safety Day", "Wednesday, Aug. 5: In-Service Day" (each "No school for students"), "Thursday, Aug. 6: Teacher workday (Election Day, no school for students)". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "Lunes 3 de agosto" to "Jueves 6 de agosto", each "No hay clases para los alumnos".
- Labor Day, Sept. 7: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, September 2026: "Monday, Sept. 7: Labor Day (Schools closed)". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "Lunes 7 de septiembre: Dia del Trabajo (Escuelas Cerradas)".
- Teacher admin day, Sept. 18: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, September 2026: "Friday, Sept. 18: Teacher admin day (No school for students)". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "Viernes 18 de septiembre: Dia Administrativo para los Maestros".
- Fall break, Oct. 5 to 9: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, October 2026: "Monday, Oct. 5- Friday, Oct. 9: Fall Break (schools closed)". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "Lunes 5 de octubre al Viernes 9 de octubre: Vacaciones de Otono".
- Election Day (teacher admin day), Nov. 3: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, November 2026: "Tuesday, Nov. 3: Teacher admin day/Election Day (No school for students)". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "Martes 3 de noviembre: Dia Administrativo para los Maestros/Dia de Elecciones".
- Thanksgiving break, Nov. 23 to 27: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, November 2026: "Monday, Nov. 23-Friday, Nov. 27: Thanksgiving Break (Schools closed)". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "Lunes 23 de noviembre al Viernes 27 de noviembre: Vacaciones de Accion de Gracias".
- Winter break, Dec. 21 to Jan. 1: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, December 2026: "Monday, Dec. 21 -Friday, Jan. 1: Winter Break". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "Lunes 21 de diciembre al Viernes 1 de enero: Vacaciones de Invierno".
- Teacher in-service and safety day, Jan. 4: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, January 2027: "Monday, Jan. 4: In-service / Safety day (No school for students)"; "Tuesday, Jan. 5: Students return from Winter Break". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "Lunes 4 de enero: Dia de Capacitacion Profesional ... (No hay clases para los alumnos)".
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 18: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, January 2027: "Monday, Jan. 18: MLK Holiday (Schools closed)". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "Lunes 18 de enero: Fiesta de Martin Luther King".
- Presidents Day, Feb. 15: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, February 2027: "Monday, Feb. 15: Presidents Day (Schools closed)". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "Lunes 15 de febrero: Dia del Presidente".
- Teacher admin day, March 11: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, March 2027: "Thursday, March 11: Teacher admin day (No school for students)". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "Jueves 11 de marzo: Dia Administrativo para Maestros".
- Good Friday, March 26: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, March 2027: "Friday, March 26: Good Friday (Schools closed)". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "Viernes 26 de marzo: Viernes Santo (Escuelas Cerradas)".
- Spring break, March 29 to April 2: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, March 2027: "Monday, March 29- Friday, April 2: Spring Break (Schools closed)". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "Lunes 29 de marzo al Viernes 2 de abril: Vacaciones de Primavera".
- Teacher admin day, May 7: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, May 2027: "Friday, May 7: Teacher admin day (No school for students)". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "Viernes 7 de mayo: Dia Administrativo para los Maestros".
- Teacher workday, May 27: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, May 2027: "Thursday, May 27: Teacher workday (No school for students)". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "Jueves 27 de mayo: Dia de Trabajo para los Maestros".
- Orientation day, Aug. 7: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, "Friday, Aug. 7: Orientation day for students (2 hour day)". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "Dia Abreviado, 2 horas".
- End of 2nd nine weeks, Dec. 18: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, "Friday, Dec. 18: Abbreviated day for students and teachers (2 hours); End 2nd Nine weeks". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "Viernes 18 de diciembre: Dia abreviado para alumnos y maestros (2 horas)".
- Last day of school, May 28: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, "Friday, May 28: Last day of school, 2-hour day". Also: RCS Calendario Academico 2026-2027 (aprobado 06/3/2026), Spanish (PDF), "dia de dos horas".
- 1st nine weeks: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, "Friday, Oct. 2: End of 1st Nine Weeks"; "Friday, Oct. 16: 1st Nine weeks report cards".
- 2nd nine weeks: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, "Friday, Dec. 18: ... End 2nd Nine weeks"; "Friday, Jan. 8: 2nd Nine weeks report cards".
- 3rd nine weeks: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, "Friday, March 5: End of 3rd Nine Weeks"; "Friday, March 12: 3rd Nine weeks report cards".
- 4th nine weeks: RCS 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, revised June 3, 2026 (English; a PDF served under a .docx file name), page 1, "Friday, May 28: Last day of school, 2-hour day; Report cards issued" (the calendar prints no separate end date for the 4th nine weeks).